Auctions: comic books December 1972

Action Comics (1938 DC) 419 VF 8.0

Cover pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Murphy Anderson, fumetti photo by Jack Adler. "The Most Dangerous Man on Earth!", script by Cary Bates, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Murphy Anderson; Moe Malloy fishes a strange glowing gun and pair of shoes out of Metropolis harbor which give him super powers. First Appearance of the Human Target in "The Assassin-Express Contract!", script by Len Wein, pencils by Carmine Infantino and Dick Giordano, inks by Dick Giordano; The Human Target poses as a businessman on a train to stop an assassination. Letter to the editor from comics writer Bob Rozakis. 36 Pages, Full Color. $0.20 Cover price $0.20.

Fantastic Four (1961 1st Series) 129 CGC 5.0

Paper: White

Label #4255810015

"The Frightful Four...Plus One!" Part 1 of 2. Guest-starring Medusa and Thundra (first appearance). Script by Roy Thomas. Pencils by John Buscema. Inks by Joe Sinnott. Cover by John Buscema, Frank Giacoia, and John Verpoorten. The Fantastic Four have returned to the Baxter Building after finishing their adventure with the Mole Man last issue. But things don't remain quiet for long as Johnny surprisingly announces his intention to go to the Great Refuge! And in a flash the Human Torch departs for the Hidden Land to see Crystal! Moments later another bombshell drops when Agatha Harkness informs Reed and Sue that she can no longer take care of young Franklin. After all the outbursts, Ben decides to go for a walk across town to clear his head. However, he walks right into a battle between the past and present members of the Frightful Four! At an abandoned construction site, Ben Grimm and Medusa fight for their lives against the Sandman, Trapster, Wizard, and Thundra! First appearance of Thundra. Cameo appearance by Black Bolt. 36 pages Cover price $0.20.

House of Secrets (1956 1st Series) 103 CGC 6.5

Paper: White

Label #4753254010

Cover art by Bernie Wrightson. "Waiting... Waiting... Waiting...", script by Sheldon Mayer, art by Rico Rival; A gambler who gets involved with a scientific project to recreate Earth history in simulation hopes to view the winner of the next atomic war, but the lab is destroyed before he can learn of the victor. "No Bed of Roses," script by John Albano, art by Jack Sparling; A man frames another man so that he can marry his wife when he is sent to prison; In prison, the convicted man hangs himself and leaves a note that he hopes to reincarnate in order to seek revenge and get his wife back; He reincarnates into a gorilla and escapes the zoo to tear apart the man who married his wife. "The Village on the Edge of Forever," script by Steve Skeates, art by Alex Niño; After the radiation of a future war has destroyed humanity, a sole survivor builds lifelike robots for company; One of the machines, believing itself to be human, seeks out other humans and finds a girl under attack by mutants; He tries to save her and during the fight his arm is damaged and he realizes that he is a robot. Cain & Abel cartoon page by Sergio Aragonés. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.20.

Journey into Mystery (1972 2nd series) 2 CGC 9.4

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4753254012

Cover by Gil Kane and Tom Palmer. Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper!, script by Robert Bloch (original story) and Ron Goulart (adaptation), art by Gil Kane and Ralph Reese; The notorious murderer Jack the Ripper has survived into the present day, remaining young due to the human sacrifices he regularly performs. More Than Blood!, script by George Alec Effinger, art by Billy Graham; The best student athletes of Westfield Heights High School are struck down one by one by an unknown illness. The Girl Who Couldn't Die, art by Mort Lawrence; A scientist attempts to reanimate his dead lover. After years of failed attempts he succeeds, but she kills herself at the sight of his decades-old body. 36 pgs., full color. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Justice League of America (1960 1st Series) 103 CGC 8.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4523444001

Cover art by Nick Cardy. A Stranger Walks among Us!, script by Len Wein, pencils by Dick Dillin, inks by Dick Giordano; Phantom Stranger invited to join the Justice League; story takes place in Rutland Vt. NOTE: This story is part of a trilogy revolving around Rutland, Vermont's Halloween parade hosting by Tom Fagan. Two stories were printed by Marvel Comics during this time which also are located in Rutland, Vermont. They are Thor #207 and Amazing Adventures #16. Further a number of the parade goers are dressed up in costumes of super-heroes that were not part of DC Comics Earth-One continuity. Aside from the Earth-Two (JSA) and Earth-S (Shazam) costumes, there were reasonable facsimile of popular Marvel Comics characters. They included: "Commando America", based on Captain America, "Thunder God" based on Marvel's Thor, An unnamed arachnid character resembling Spider-Man. 36 pgs. $0.20.

NOTE: "In 1973, writers Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway, and Len Wein, unbeknownst to management, concocted a secret crossover event between Marvel and DC that saw characters from both companies crisscrossing through and interweaving in a connected story known as The Rutland Halloween Crossover. See Amazing Adventures (1970-1976 2nd Series) 16, Justice League of America (1960-1987 1st Series) #103, and Thor (1962-1996 1st Series Journey Into Mystery) #207." - Odinson, mycomicshop Archivist

Cover price $0.20.

Marvel Spotlight (1971 1st Series) 7 CGC 8.5

Paper: Off white

Label #1196849014

Cover art by Mike Ploog. Die, Die, My Daughter, script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Mike Ploog, inks by Frank Chiaramonte; Curly, the leader of the biker gang Satans Saints, tries to sacrifice Roxanne to Satan; cops chase Ghost Rider, who stops to rest in a graveyard. 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.20.

Sad Sack Navy, Gobs 'N' Gals (1972 Harvey) 3 VG- 3.5

Centerfold detached at one staple.

36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.20.

Star Trek (1967 Gold Key) 17 CGC 8.5

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #4745072022

Comic book version of the original Star Trek TV series that starred William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. 10210-302. Painted cover by George Wilson, with inset photos of William Shatner as Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Spock. "The Cosmic Cavemen, Part 1," script by Arnold Drake, art by Alberto Giolitti; Stardate 19:24.3: Planet Neesan; Spock is taken for the god Unruho and is able to free his shipmates who are imprisoned by the Tols. "The Cosmic Cavemen, Part 2," script by Arnold Drake, art by Alberto Giolitti; The Tols are attacked by the Kovars, but Spock plays his role as a god and the two tribes are united. 36 pgs., full color. $0.15. Cover price $0.15.

Strange Adventures (1950 1st Series) 239 CGC 9.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4753254015

Adam Strange reprint: "The Metal Conqueror of Rann!" (from Mystery in Space 79). Script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Murphy Anderson. Reprint back-up story: "The Amazing Trial of John (Gorilla) Doe!" (from Strange Adventures 100). Script by John Broome, pencils by Infantino, inks by Joe Giella. Nick Cardy cover. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.20.

Teen Confessions (1959) 77 GD+ 2.5

Centerfold detached at one staple. Water damage.

Cover by A. Martinez and Jean Elier. Stories by unknown. Art by A. Martinez, Charles Nicholas, Jean Elier and Vince Alascia. If kissing were on the Japanese Olympics program, she'd vote Karl a gold medal! Read..."Fun and Games Time" with art by A. Martinez and Jean Elier. Also in this issue: "The Beautiful Man-Trap!" with art by Martinez and Elier; "Take One Giant Step" with art by Charles Nicholas and Vince Alascia; Teen-Age Troubles advice 1-pager by Dr. Harold Gluck; and a pin-up of the Partridge Family by Don Sherwood. 32 pages, full color. Cover price $0.20.